Flight deck goggle



Nov. 21, 1961 J. E. COMEAU ET AL Filed Feb. 18, 1957 FLIGHT DECK GOGGLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS (10/7/15, Clo/Mada Robert Richard Thy/W5 AWORA/Ey Nov. 21, 1961 J. E. COMEAU ET AL 3,009,158

FLIGHT DECK GOGGLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 18, 1957 flTTORNE-K 3,0tl9,158 FLIGHT DECK GOGGLE John E. Comeau and Robert Richard Thomas, Kansas City, and Willis T. Watkins, Hickman Mills, Mm, assignors, by mesne assignments, to United States Safety Service (30., Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Mrssouri Filed Feb. 18, 1957, Ser. No. 640,810 3 Claims. (Cl. 2-14) This invention relates to eye protection devices and more particularly to a headgear assembly having a new and novel goggle attached thereto in an improved manner.

The primary object of the instant invention is to provide an eye protection assembly wherein a goggle adapted for disposition over the wearers eyes in protecting relationship thereto will fit against the face in tight, but comfortable, conformity without fogging of the interior face of the goggle and at the same time allow movement of the goggle to a readily accessible, non-interfering location above the wearers eyes.

The principal aim is effectively carried out by the employment of structure which includes as a novel feature thereof, a pair of arcuate bars disposed on a headgear such as a helmet, and which slidably receive the open ends of respective straps secured to the goggle so that the goggle may be moved to a non-interfering location above the wearers eyes upon sliding of the open ends of the straps along the arcuate bars. A further important feature relates to the provision of longitudinally adjustable straps secured to each end of the goggle for attachment to the headgear whereby the relative pressure of the goggle against the wearers face or forehead can be adjusted at will.

Also an object in carrying out the principal aim of this invention is the provision in an eye protection assembly wherein the goggle is composed of a flexible, transparent lens element having a resilient rim member extending around the periphery thereof in such a manner that the member fits closely against the wearers face in substantially conforming relationship thereto, and wherein the rim member has a plurality of openings therein communicating the interior of the goggle with the surrounding atmosphere so as to preclude fogging of the lens element, the novel feature of providing a filter element extending around the entire periphery of the goggle to prevent entrance of deleterious foreign particles into the interior of the goggle through the openings.

In the same manner, an additional object relates to an eye protection assembly as referred to above wherein the rim member includes a rearwardly extending, hollow portion which fits against the wearers face, the improved feature of which comprises providing opposed openings in the inner and outer walls of the rearwardly extending portion so as to ventilate the interior of the goggle, the openings being disposed out of alignment with each other so that air passing from the surrounding atmosphere to the interior of the goggle must travel a circuitous path through the filter element provided in the hollow chamber. Also an additional object is to provide a filter element for the above described goggle which is made of relatively thin, loosely braided, flexible filaments so as to be easily manufactured, of low cost, and especially to provide indirect ventilation of the interior of the goggle because air passing through the filter must follow a serpentine path.

A further important object of this invention is to provide an eye protection assembly in the nature of a goggle which has a flexible, transparent lens element adapted to protect both of the wearers eyes, a novel rim member adapted to be secured to the lens element around the Sites atent substantially equal in length to the peripheral dimension ice peripheral edge thereof and which comprises a substantially U-shaped segment presenting a groove for receiving the peripheral edge of the lens element and a second U-shapcd section secured to the outermost face of one Wall of the segment so as to present a hollow chamber, whereby the rim member may be easily constructed by well known and available extrusion processes, thereby materially lowering the cost of the overall goggle assembly as well as simplifying manufacturing technics and procedures.

A further object of the instant invention is to provide an eye protection assembly as set forth immediately above wherein the rim member is an elongated element of the lens element, the novel improvement of which comprises snap fastening means disposed at each end of the elongated rim member so that the member may be quickly and easily placed on and removed from. the element, thereby allowing quick replacement of the element when damaged or the like.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an eye protection assembly made pursuant to the concepts of the inst-ant invention and illustrating a helmet on the wearers head and goggle structure located in eye protecting relationship;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, plan view of the novel goggle structure of the instant invention, parts being broken away and in section to illustrate details of construction;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, front elevational view of the novel goggle structure, certain parts being broken away and in section to detail portions of the construction thereof;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, central sectional view taken on line IV-IV of FIG. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line VV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is 'an enlarged, sectional view taken on line Vl-VI of FIG. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on the line VII-VII of FIG. 3.

As disclosed in FIG. 1 of the drawings, an eye protection assembly broadly designated by the numeral 10 preferably comprises a helmet 12, and gogggle structure, generally designated by the numeral 14, which is especially adapted for use by landing signal officers during the period when they are directing the landing operations of aircraft aboard carriers.

Although it is manifest that other types of headgears may be utilized in lieu of helmet 12, the helmet 12 has been illustrated herein because of the fact that they are commonly used by service personnel who direct operations of aircraft on the flight deck of carriers, and there has been a problem presented in providing goggle structure to protect the eyes of such personnel which will fit in close conforming relationship to the face but will, at the same time, be adapted for quick and easy movement to a position above the wearers eyes on the forehead.

This problem has been solved in the instant invention by providing an arcuate bar 16 for each end of the elongated goggle structure 14 and which is adapted for slidably receiving straps broadly numbered 18. As illustrated in FIG. 1, arcuate bar 16 preferably has a circular eye portion 20 at one end thereof, and a similar portion 22 at the opposite end thereof. Portions 20 and 22 are secured to helmet 12 by any suitable means such as rivets 24, and portion 20 is normally disposed in substantial alignment with strap 18 when goggle structure 14 is located in eye protecting relationship over the wearers face, while portion 22 is most usually disposed upwardly and rearwardly of portion 20. Goggle structure 14 may be provided with a slot 26 at each end of the elongated, unitary, flexible, transparent lens element 28, and which is adapted to receive one end of strap 18. Strap 18 may conveniently be constructed of an elongated, relatively narrow band 30 of leather or other suitable material, which has one end thereof secured in slot 26, the outermost end of band 38 passing around arcuate bar 16, and releasably held in position by a buckle element 32. From the foregoing it can be appreciated that strap 18 is longitudinally adjustable whereby the relative pr ssure of goggle structure 14 against the wearers face may be adjusted at will. Also of note is the fact that the flight oflicer may make goggle structure 14 relatively tight against his face by pulling the free end of band 30 but when it is desired to move structure 14 to a position above the eyes, band 30 may be loosened whereby goggle structure 14 may be moved to the dotted line position shown in FIG. 1 on the wearefs forehead. It is of especial importance that the outermost open end 34 of strap 18 slides along arcuate bar 16 from portion 20 to portion 22 as the goggle structure 14 is shifted from a position over the eyes to a readily accessible, non-interfering location on the forehead.

After the goggle structure 14 has been shifted to a position on the forehead, it may be again brought into tight engagement with helmet 12 by pulling on the free end of band 30. Manifestly, the above described structure is also identically provided on the left-hand side of goggle structure 14 viewing FIG. 1, and thus new and novel structure is provided for attaching goggle structure 14 to helmet 12.

As hereinabove described, lens element 28 is a thin, resilient, relatively flexible sheet of plastic which is adapted to extend over both eyes in protecting relationship thereto. As is clearly apparent in FIG. 3 of the drawings, lens element 28 has a substantially V-shaped notch 36 for clearing the wearers nose, and secured to the lens element 28 and extending around the entire peripheral edge thereof is a rim broadly numerated 38. Rim 38 is' an elongated, flexible member 40 of a length substantially equal to the peripheral edge dimension of the lens element and may be constructed of various plastic materials such as the vinyls, and has ends 42 and 44 which are adapted to come into conforming, abutting relationship at the apex of V-shaped notch 36.

As illustrated in FIG. 4 of the drawings, member 40 preferably includes a U-shaped segment 46 comprising an outer wall 48, an inner wall 58 and a bottom wall 52. In this manner, U'shaped se ment 46 presents a groove 54 adapted to receive the peripheral edge of lens element 28 and it is to be noted that the distance between the innermost face of wall 48 and the innermost face of wall 58 is substantially equal to the thickness of lens element 28, so that when lens element 28 is disposed in groove 54, entry of foreign particles into the interior of goggle structure 14 is eifec-tively precluded.

Member 40 also includes a U-shaped section 56 which comprises an outer panel 58, an inner panel 60 and a bottom panel 62, the outermost ends of the panels 58 and 60 being integrally interconnected to the outermost face of wall 50. Thus section 56 presents a hollow chamber 64 which is adapted to receive a filter element broadly numbered 66. As clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, filter element 66 preferably comprises an elongated element composed of flexible, resilient, loosely woven or braided filaments of plastic material such as the vinyls. In order to provide ventilation for the interior of goggle structure 14 when the latter is disposed over the eyes in protecting elationship thereto, there is provided a series of openings 70 in outer panel 58, and a series of opposed openings 72 through inner panel 60. As shown in FIG. 2, openings 70 and 72 are located out of alignment with each other so that air passing from the surrounding atmosphere into the interior of structure 14 is forced to describe a circuitous path through filter element 66. It is manifest that filter element 66, disposed over both openings 70 and 72, operates to prevent entrance of deleterious particles into the interior of goggle structure 14.

A portion of the ends 42 and 44 are constructed so that the goggle structure 14 will fit closely against the wearers nose, and from FIGS. 4 and 6 it can be recognized that the section 56 is of lesser diameter so that the panel 60 will fit in tight abutting relationship to the nose. Also, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the areas of the inner panel 60 and outer panel 58 normally adjacent the Wearers nose are substantially imperforate but there is provided a series of perforations 74 in inner wall 50. As shown in FIG. 6, it is desirable to provide a pair of openings 74 in each of the ends 42 and 44 respectively of member 40. By virtue of the provision of openings 74 which communicate with hollow chamber 64, air may enter chamber 64 through any one of the openings 72, and pass longitudinally through chamber 64 before passing into the interior of goggle structure 14 through perforations 74.

Means for releasably attaching member 40 to lens element 28 may take the form of a snap fastener 76 for each end 42 and 44 of member 40. Fastener 76 includes a male element 78 secured to the outer wall 48, and a female element 80 secured to the inner wall 50 in a position for receiving male element 78. As shown in FIG. 7, an opening 82 having a protecting washer 84 therein is provided for each of the male elements 78, whereby when the element 78 is releasably snapped into element 80, member 40 is secured to lens element 28.

It can now be appreciated that because of the crosssectional configuration of member 40, the same may be quickly and economically constructed in presently available extrusion machines and thus, the overall cost of goggle structure 14 is materially lessened. Inasmuch as the ends 42 and 44 are severed by a cutting machine, the ends may be cut so as to join in conforming, abutting relationship to effectively simulate a one-piece structure and preclude entrance of any foreign particles between the zone of juncture. Also, because of the novel disposition of perforations 74, entry of air into the interior of goggle structure 14 is maintained even around the nose of the wearer and, therefore, fogging of the innermost face of lens element 28 is substantially eliminated under any atmospheric conditions.

Having thus described the invention What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In an eye protection assembly, a goggle including a relatively thin, elongated, unitary, resilient, relatively flexible, transparent lens element having an inwardly extending V-shaped notch for clearing the Wearers nose, said lens element being adapted to extend over both eyes in protecting relationship thereto, an extruded resilient rim member of flexible, synthetic resin material and extending around the periphery of the lens element, said member having an inwardly facing, substantially U- shaped segment in cross-section and comprising an inner, an outer, and a bottom wall presenting a groove for receiving the peripheral edge of the lens element, the distance between said inner and outer walls being substantially equal to the thickness of the lens element whereby entry of foreign materials around the edge of the lens element is substantially precluded, said member having a substantially U-shaped section in transverse cross-section and comprising an inner, an outer, and a bottom panel, the outermost ends of the inner and outer panels being integral with the outermost face of said inner wall to present a relatively narrow hollow chamber extending around the periphery of the rim member, said lens element being sufficiently flexible to permit said member to flex and the outer surface of said bottom panel of the section to fit against the wearers face in substantially conforming relationship thereto, there being a plurality of openings extending through the central portions of said inner and outer panels respectively for communicating the interior of the goggle with the surrounding atmosphere when the goggle is in position over the eyes, and a filter element in said hollow chamber in covering relationship to the openings in opposed panels for preventing entrance of deleterious foreign particles into said interior of the goggle; and means connected to each end of the goggle respectively for supporting the goggle on the wearers head.

2. An eye protection assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the openings through one of said panels are out of direct alignment with the openings through the other panel to thereby permit air to pass to the interior of the goggle along a circuitous path transversely of said section.

3. An eye protection assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said filter is an elongated unit of relatively thin, loosely braided, flexible filaments.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,288,647 Miller Dec. 24, 1918 1,295,391 Troppm-an Feb. 25, 1919 2,393,533 Heinz Jan. 22, 1946 2,430,881 Lehmberg Nov. 18, 1947 2,545,428 Liautaud Mar. 13, 1951 2,597,764 Tucker May 20, 1952 2,680,846 Hirschmann June 15, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 682,644 France Feb. 17, 1930 663,002 Great Britain Dec. 12, 1951 

